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New Mexico Bill to Restore Straight-Ticket Device Advances

On February 20, the New Mexico Senate Rules Committee passed SB 276, the bill to restore a straight-ticket device to New Mexico ballots. The vote was 6-4, with all Democrats voting “yes” and all Republicans voting “no.” If this bill passes the legislature, it seems somewhat likely that the state’s Republican Governor will veto the bill.

The bill says that only parties with more than a single statewide nominee on the ballot would have a straight-ticket device. In practice, given New Mexico’s severe ballot access laws for office other than President, this would mean that if the bill were enacted, most of the time only the Democratic and Republican Parties would have a straight-ticket device.